Typically, large scale project management includes multiple entities or groups that are working together on the project. Software development can involve a large scale project including the development of operating systems and business applications. When one group or entity that is participating in the project completes or updates the component or aspect of the project that it is responsible for, the entity or group notifies other participants of the updates through a web page, forum or email list. These communication channels are monitored by the interested parties.
An update is typically the release of a new package or version of the software component that is being produced by the group or entity. Receiving this update information is important to other groups or entities participating in the project, because they may need to incorporate the updated software component into their own version of the overall project or similarly modify their component to be compatible with the newest version of the software component by the other group or entity in the project that is making the update announcement. This in turn requires that each of the other entities or groups participating in the project provide their own update notifications for changes to their respective components or aspects of the over project.
Monitoring the status of each of the components in the overall packaging ensures that each of the participants is aware of the other updates created by the other participants. The monitoring process can be time and resource intensive and requires that each of the entities closely monitor the activities of the other entities and diligently work to address the changes required by the updates provided by the other groups and entities.